nomad4ever

Back in the days, when still living in Germany, I used to eat very irregularly. 4 days a week on the road, you just stuff anything edible in your mouth. Mostly things like Fast Food, Pizza and some ‘German Classics’ like Doener Kebab or Currywurst.

Needless to say I always had a bit more pounds on my hips than necessary. Usually 5-10, but up to 20 pounds during the worst of times. And I didn’t have much to do for that.

written by Chris

…that is called ECS G10IL. And what is that? The successor of R2D2?

No, it’s the new Netbook PC of Elitegroup with a strange name – it weighs less than 1 kg and it speaks 3G.

While Asus can lay claims of having invented a complete new line or range of small, budget notebooks – the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) or Netbooks – the fierce competition is currently heating up more and bringing out new and similar gadgets every week with better value for money or smaller form factors.

written by Chris

Lombok is an Indonesian island just east of Bali. It is slightly smaller and not so densely populated but features breath-taking sceneries and amazing landscapes.

Outside of Asia, nobody probably heard of this island, which is said to provide a pleasant holiday experience; sort of an “unspoiled Bali”.

Let’s change that a bit!

While both islands share a lot of similarities, Lombok has its own attractions and plenty of contrasts as well. This trip report from last week shows where are the differences and what would be worth checking out during your trip to Lombok:

written by Chris

Just coming back from a few days driving around Lombok. What an adventure! The detailed trip report will follow shortly.

The picture to the left was taken near the Gangga Waterfall in the North of Lombok, about 2 hours away from Senggigi. The sign says the following: “Land for Sale – Come and invest for your future in the exotic and extraordinary natural beauty of Lombok”.

Truly – Lombok is a magnificent island, a natural beauty in its own way. The rice fields are green, the waterfalls lush and refreshing, the Hot Springs are hot, the mountains high and majestic. Exactly what you would expect from an island paradise in the tropics:

written by Chris

When reading the last issue of The Bali Times, I had a few good laughs. This weekly newspaper is actually known for portraying the Bali Life from an Expat point of view.

Mainly you can read about foreigners arrested on Drug Charges (amazingly still plenty of tourists think they can get away doing drugs in Bali), or about illegal workers arrested by officials.

It features as well the latests governmental initiatives which affect the tourism industry and locals alike; as well as local and international news, horoscopes, spiritual guidances from famous Gurus, the cinema schedule or a Community Noticeboard.

written by Chris

The Philippines is a country in South East Asia with breath-taking natural features and scenery on over 7.000 islands. You will find pristine beaches, volcanoes, rice terraces, hot springs and waterfalls aplenty in a very pleasant tropical climate. People are genuinely friendly and most of the Pinoys can speak English, so easy communication is guaranteed.

Despite its continuous economical downturn over the recent years, more Expats and Westerners love to move here for retirement and longer vacations. And for a good reason – the Philippines offer very comfortable and affordable Cost of Living conditions for the avid long-term traveler:

written by Chris

The best spots in Bali are in regions away from the touristy areas. The island is rich in beautiful nature spots. For instance the cascading waterfall at Git Git in the northern part of the island is very popular with tourists and locals alike.

The Banjar Hot Springs near Lovina are another famous spot, with 3 basins of different temperature to chose from. They are about 25 kilometers from Git Git.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a spot where you can stand under a Waterfall and warm your old bones in a Hot Spring right next door and almost at the same time?

written by Chris

Yup – in case you were wondering why nothing happened at this site for the last couple of days – we just came back from an Outback trip with the bare essentials. The location was Baluran National Park in Eastern Java.

It’s a mystic explosion of nature and wild life. African-style Savannahs, just without Elephants or Giraffes. No telephone signal, no internet, no TV, limited water and electricity supply – in one word – a Robinson Feeling like no other.

Baluran? Where the hell is that?

written by Chris